Button-fastener



J. O. TOWNSEND.

BUTTON FASTENBR.

(No Model.)

Patented July 26, 1892.

j? I v fizz ew)? J zzwwend UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEROME O. TOWNSEND, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

BUTTON-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,538, dated July 26,1892. Application filedApril 25, 1892. Serial No. 430,467. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JEROME C. TOWNSEND, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of liennepin andState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inButton-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to the attaching of buttons to fabrics; and itconsists in a very simple form of fastening adapted to engage with theeye of a but-ton made of a single piece of materialsuch as wire or thinsheet metaland approximately in the form of a figure eight (8,) the freeends of the eight (8) lying parallel to the central portion and adaptedto be engaged by the hook or eye of the button, it being understood thatthe hook or eye is passed through an opening or insertion in the fabric,the fastening engaging the said hook or eye on the under face of thesaid fabric.

I have shown my invention in the accom panying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a button as it appears in place uponthe fastening device, this figure showing the parts enlarged. Fig. 2 isa detail view of the fastening device alone; and Fig. 3 is across-section of the same, showing the approximate shape of the centerbars in section.

It will be understood that this device may be used in connection withany form of button having an eye or hook adapted to extend through aninsertion or opening in the clothing or other fabric, the fasteningdevice to engage with the said hook or the eye on the under side.

The button is shown at A and the eye thereof at a. The fastening deviceis made of wire or sheet metal being bent into the form approximately ofa figure 8, though its center may be approximately straight. The centralbar of the fastening device (indicated at b) is made preferablyflattened, while the free ends 0 c extend parallel to said centralportion, having their adjacent faces flattened, while their outer facesmay be rounded, as shown in the cross-section, though this is notmaterial. In order to more securely hold the button at the centralportion of the fastening device and to prevent any slipping laterallythereof, I form a bend in each of the three parts forming the center ofthe fastening,

which receives the eye or. the hook of the button, forming, practically,an eye in the fastening device, which retains the button and the devicein the same relative position without any tendency to-slip to one sideor the other. Each of the free ends 0 c extend. nearly across if notquite from one end to the other of the central ban-and when it isdesired to thread on the button or thread the fastening device throughthe eye of the button one of the ends 0 is threaded through the eye andthe fastening is turned upon the eye until the eye engages with the freeend first inserted and the central bar, after which the fastening isthreaded across to the opposite end until the second free end can beinserted into the eye, when it is slipped back to a central position toengage with the eye or loop made centrally of the device which holds itin place. The bend or loop is aided by the natural spring of the metal,made by engaging the eye with three parts of the fastening whichconstitutes the center, as this spring is sufficient to apply pressureupon the eye and hold the parts in place, and of course this is furtheraided by contact between the fastening device and the under side of thefabric to which the button is applied.

I claim as my invention- 1. A button-fastening approximately in the formof a figure 8, having a central bar and free ends bent to the center ofthe fastening and approximately parallel with the central bar,substantially as described.

2. A button-fastener approximately in the form of a figure 8, having acentral bar fiattened on each side and free ends bent in to the centerparallel to the said central bar, each of said free ends being flattenedupon one side and rounded on the outer faces, substantially asdescribed.

3. A fastening device approximately in the form of the figure 8, with acentral bar having a central bend or loop therein, the free ends of thefastening extending parallel with the central portion and havingcorresponding bends formed therein, substantially as described.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JEROME C. TOWNSEND.

Witnesses:

A. P. LooMIs, WALTER G. MARSON.

